Sea Turtle Walks in Florida

Many years ago, I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. It was a weekend with friends in Melbourne, and they had plans to watch for sea turtles coming up on the beach in the moonlight to build their nests. It wasn’t an official guided walk, just an opportunity to borrow a beach house and walk down to the water in hopes of seeing a turtle.

There weren’t as many turtles laying eggs on Florida’s beaches in those days. But the stars and moon aligned. We came across turtle tracks in several places. Eventually, other people doing the same thing called us over, and we watched in awe. No lights. No cameras. Just the playing out of the call of nature to bring a turtle back to where it hatched to start the next generation.

I’ve seen many sea turtles since, in aquariums and rehab centers throughout the state. But nothing came close to that feeling that night of waiting in anticipation, and watching in awe.

The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission keeps up a list of where you can see sea turtles in person – primarily at marine facilities and attractions – as well as of public lands and nonprofit organizations that hold public sea turtle watches, where you can walk on the beach to watch for sea turtle nesting.

All of the following activities are along the Atlantic Coast between Melbourne and Boca Raton.